29 March 2011

our sponsor for this blog hop is quilt album. don't know who quilt album is?!?! well i'll tell you what i know.

quilt album = a electronic quilty scrapbook. using this software you can upload pics of your project{s}. you record all the little details that might slip your mind later. & you can even go a step further and make business cards and note cards. {they even have a newsletter so you can stay up to date with all things quilt album-ish.}

it's quite the program if you're looking to catalog your creative process. :)

since every blog hop needs fun questions:

what one item do you really want to add to your studio and why?!?!this excelsior sewing machine poster. in case you're new here, i'd addicted to the tv show friends. this poster belonged to rachel green and it hung in her apartment for years. me needs it.

what color would you paint your living room if you had to do it right now?!?!we are currently, slowly i might add, repainting every room in our house. the livingroom is next and it's destined to be gray/grey. a good grey, not a depressing grey.

share a little known fact about yourself...every spring i buy an insane amount of old navy flip flops. i say insane because it drives my hubby crazy. if you ask me...you could never own too many old navy flip flops.

what is the last piece of fabric you bought?!?!it was these max & whiskers lovelies. i can't wait to play with them. i will one day. in my spare time. ha.

what is your favorite candy to find in your easter basket?!?!i love me some peeps. frozen peeps to be more exact. pure deliciousness.

no blog hop is complete without a giveaway!!!one lucky ps i quilt reader will win their very own quilt album software. just leave me a comment telling me what color you'd paint YOUR livingroom. {winner will be drawn april 6th.}

and don't forget to visit all the peeps on our blog tour:{they'll also be having giveaways!!!}

25 March 2011

i wouldn't blog if i didn't enjoy it.i wouldn't blog if it didn't help, inspire or teach people.really.

so why did i start a blog post like this?!?!

well i have google alerts set for me & this here blog.you know...just in case.

99.9% of the time i get a notice & it's cool.susy whatsherface at blahblahzee blog made my sruffily quilt.so i comment and then the blogging world is a happy place.

today was different.

that little alert popped into my email and WHAM!someone decided it would be cool to copy & paste my whole blog post into a forum.not a good idea folks.

i work really hard on this blog.it may not seem like it, but trust me that i put alot of time & effort into ps i quilt.

i do "get" that so & so was just trying to open the ripping vs cutting convo on a message board.i can respect that.it is a very interesting conversation.but use your own words, please.

so i write this special post to say this...RESPECT what bloggers put out there.RESPECT their time & effort.RESPECT copyrights.& RESPECT the person behind the blog.

that is all.

edit to add:i've had a few questions about google alerts...basically you type in your blog name, your company name, etc.and ANY TIME your name {or whatever you set the alert to} is put on the internet, you get emailed about it.you can choose if you want to be notified per instance, once a day, once a week, etc.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT FOLKS.

23 March 2011

so let's talk ripping vs cutting.

while i was in san antonio i talked with the owner of sew special quilts about this very subject.fyi: they rip, but they will cut if asked.while talking with her i thought...i wonder how everyone else feels about this.

i have seen it done both ways.i have heard the positives & negatives to both sides.i've heard the "that's how shops did it in the ol' days" rebutle.i've even seen shops lose business because of the "cutting is against shop policy" line.

so i wanted to talk to a few of my fav quilt shops. {one brick & mortar. one online.}i wanted to get views from both sides.it just so happens that they're the opposite of each other in the ripping/cutting department.which made my research go quicker. lol.

my fav online shop = fat quarter shopthey cut.they cut so many layers & orders that it would take forever to live up to their SUPER fast shipping if they had to rip orders all day.and on top of that when you rip, it damages about 1/2" on either side of your fabric by stretching & pulling.they agree that ripping is good for straight of grain, but they'll stay cutters.

my fav brick & mortar = people, places & quilts - summerville, south carolinathey rip.it's important to them that you have a straight of grain piece rather than pretty edges.they recommend washing & pressing your fabrics to even out the distortion from ripping.although they are firm believers in ripping, they will cut if asked.

so let's have an open debate...to rip or not to rip???

are yall for or against ripping???inquiring minds want to know.if you're a quilt shop...i highly encourage you to jump in and give your two cents.

the gang over at fat quarter shop have THE BEST bella solids selection EVER!!!and they wanna give some of it away!!!

one lucky ps i quilt reader is going to win SIX YARDS of bella solids!!!that's right 6 freaking yards of my favorite fabric in the whole wide world.and the winner gets their choice of colors!!! tell me what SIX colors you would choose if you win.see your choices HERE.{winner will be drawn friday.}

oh and fyi: moda is releasing a whole batch of new bella solids in april.*big, dreamy sigh*

it takes just a few minutes to whip up this star block.a few minutes & a few scraps to make a serviceman smile.

the semper fi fund will help coordinate the donations of the 100 quilts.it's such a great organization...and i'm not just saying that.go read what they do.it really touches the heart.

most of yall know that my hubby is a marine.you can't say was a marine to a marine. it's doesn't bode well.it's that whole "once a marine, always a marine" thing.the corp is how we met & fell in love and i just flat out love the marine corp.end. of. story.

all marines are like family to other marines. semper fidelis to the "t"it's a honor that is well deserved.and something to be very, very proud of.so let's help my family.let's comfort them with quilts!!!

we can make a difference.♥

so who's with me?!?!who's gonna make just one star for our boys?!?! you?!?! your quilt guild?!?! a gal down the street that you're teaching to quilt?!?!

here's my challenge on top of moda's challenge...let's jump start just one star!!!let's see how many of yall can make your block THIS WEEK!!!

make your block, take a pic & send it to me. {via email or flickr link}let's do this by next monday.i'm talking blocks en route to texas by monday.i'm going to send one lucky peep a special "thank you" package. semper fi yall :D

09 March 2011

i'm in love. again.this one tugs on my heartstrings.my daughter miss melanie was the inspiration for this quilt.♥

so why was melanie my inspiration?!?!i wanted a "hope chest" quilt for her.

growing up in the south, all young gals looked forward to a hope chest.a hope chest is a homemade cedar chest that is filled with treasures you will need, use & love when you marry your special someone.

every girl needs a hope chest.her daddy makes it & her momma fills it.and NO hope chest is complete without a quilt!!!

i've been holding out. really.i wanted the "butter" cookware, but couldn't ever find it when i wanted it.

well then i came home from teaching in san antonio...and wham bam thank you mam!!!hubby bought me two pieces of paula's "robin's egg blue" cookware.

so then yesterday happened.*sigh*

we were standing there looking paula in the face...well her face on the box.& i couldn't decide how far i was gonna push this paula deen purchase.then my hubby actually said it: "get it all. you know you want it anyways."*que the hallelujah chorus*

i have WAY more than two pieces of paula deen cookware now & this is my happy face =)

02 March 2011

- university united methodist church aka uumc -

- my bedroom at claudia's house -yeah i just about cried when i walked in & saw that MY pattern was the quilt on the bed.

- a real life longhorn -he was just hanging out, eating his grass, looking all pretty.so we rolled down our car window & he posed for me.such a good boy.*i bought a little metal longhorn magnet for my fridge, just so i can remember this fella*

- pinwheel sampler class -

- promo bookmarks used in local quilt shops -yeah i was a little giddy when i saw them for the first time.

- THE ALAMO -smaller than what you expect BUT it was awesome to stand there in real life.very awesome and very surreal.

- claudia and me - & - san antonio palm tree -no. i'm not wearing a bumpit.it just so happened that my hair matched the alamo door perfectly.note to self: next time i go to the salon and tell them my hair color...refer to it as "the alamo door" just to see the response i get.

- san antonio trolly - & - marci and me -ummm if yall ever go to san antonio...the river walk is amazing!!! seriously amazing!!!take the guided river barge tour. SO worth the $8.25

general consensus: i had such a blast.these pics only touch base on a little bit of my trip.i was SO caught up with classes & being a tourist that i didn't quite take as many pics as i wanted.{and i seem to be missing pics from the coin collecting class i taught. boo.}

oh & i'm pretty sure that i stimulated the economy more than i'll ever, ever admit.especially in the local quilt shops.a big hey yall to sew special quilts, memories by the yard & quilt haus. i have more to tell, but i'll share more later.promise.

disclaimer:

i occasionally accept paid advertising in the form of affiliate links, fabric, notions, patterns &/or books, often in exchange for posting about said product. please know that my opinions are always my own. i only promote items that i would personally buy or already own and recommend.